Wine fraud has existed for hundreds of years. Pliny the Elder talks about it in his writings from Ancient Rome.  It’s the reason behind the sommelier giving you the cork when they open your bottle of wine at the table.    France is the home of most of the rituals around wine. They have always […]

Dear Vegan Drinker, On the surface it makes no sense! I know. Wine is made from grapes & yeast, so shouldn’t all wine be vegan. Unless we classify yeast as an animal? (The world does not by the way, or else you would need to give up bread!) The government isn’t what regulates ‘vegan’ products […]

Dear Freshness Finder, Great question! The good news is that wine doesn’t go bad immediately after opening. However, the amount of time it stays fresh does depend on several factors, including the type of wine and how you store it. Here’s a general guide to help you out! Red Wines Once you open a bottle […]

Hey there Baffled,  Great question! While it might seem like Champagne and Prosecco are similar since they’re both sparkling wines, there are a lot of key differences in how they’re made—and that explains why Champagne usually comes with a bigger price tag. Let’s dive into what makes Champagne so special. First off, Champagne does carry […]

  Dearest Wanna Be, Wine is for everyone. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently. The important thing is that you enjoy it.  But don’t treat your wine like mouthwash, it doesn’t deserve that. But in all seriousness, the swirling, slurping, and even occasional gargling noise can seem a little strange at first, Especially when […]

Dear Amphora, Amphora winemaking is an ancient tradition that’s making a notable comeback in the modern wine world. An amphora is a large, clay vessel that dates back thousands of years to ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Romans. These vessels were originally used for storing and transporting wine, olive oil, and other goods, and […]

Dear Barrel Questioner, Great question! Aging wine in oak barrels is not only a winemaking practice but a tradition with deep historical roots. Oak barrels have been used for thousands of years, dating back to the Roman Empire, when winemakers discovered that oak barrels were perfect for storing and transporting wine. Originally, barrels were used […]

Dear Grape Curious, A “varietal” refers to the type of grape used in a wine. Think about tomatoes. There are a lot of different kinds, right? Take beefsteak tomatoes versus cherry tomatoes. Both are tomatoes, but they have different flavors, sizes, and uses. Beefsteak tomatoes are great for slicing and putting in sandwiches, while cherry […]

Hi Hue, So color in grapes comes from the skins. Did you ever go to a Halloween party where someone peeled grapes and placed them in a box, forcing un-sususpecting guests to put their hand into a bucket of ‘eyeballs?’ Were you ever the parent who had to peel the grape skins off? If you […]

Dear Puzzled, There are a lot of factors that go into the price of a bottle of wine! First, vineyard location plays a big role. For example, in 2022, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Napa Valley averaged $8,812 per ton, while in Sonoma, they were $2,966. The price of the grapes depends on the varietal and […]

Dear Curious Cork, If you listen to Mike Benzinger, he describes biodynamics as an ‘energy management system,’ which still sounds confusing. Biodynamics is rooted in the work of an Austrian philosopher named Rudolph Steiner. It’s a holistic farming practice that divides winemaking and viticultural tasks based on a special biodynamic calendar. The days of the […]

Dear Traveler without a Plan, Your trip won’t suck. But you will not have the same depth of experience. You can hit up four or five tasting rooms in a day, dropping in and tasting. Be sure to sip and spit, or have a designated driver. Things to keep in mind: – Most wineries open […]

Dear Traveler, You are going to have a fantastic time. Napa Valley is a beautiful place. While you can have a fantastic time flying by the seat of your pants – I wouldn’t recommend it. My top tip for going to wine country is always to have a plan. This may be partially due to […]

I was all excited to do a deep dive into what French wines were being served at the Olympics this month. But… there aren’t any.

Any wines. At the Olympics. At all?

Considering that the average glass bottle cost in Napa County is $2.47, I can see the appeal of a less expensive, lighter option. The aluminum bottles weigh less than a third of a traditional bottle, while holding the same amount of wine and taking up less space on the truck, less space on the shelf. Also resulting in fewer sommeliers throwing out their backs moving cases of wine.

But the romance! The history! The experience! The experience of wine is so tied to the bottle, the pop of a cork being removed and the balance of the wine bottle in your hand.

Dear Sweetheart, Tell the truth. Seriously! If your sweetheart is worth having, he won’t leave you over your wine choice. If he can’t get over your wine choice, then there is something deeply wrong with him. And you deserve better. Clearly communicating what you enjoy and what you don’t is so important. Not telling Tom […]

Dear Turmoil, Webster’s defines tannin as ‘a soluble astringent complex phenolic substance of plant origin.’ But that doesn’t help, does it? Tannin is a phenolic – a hydroxyl derivative of aromatic hydrocarbons. Still not helpful, huh? In non-chemist speak: Tannins are a compound found in the grape skin that contributes to the wine’s flavor and […]

Dear Scholar, Technically, no, sadly, we don’t have more details. I can’t point to a specific grape and promise you that ‘this is the Jesus wine.’ But we have some ideas based on research that has been done. There are some truly amazing wines made in Israel – the country looks more like parts of […]

Dear Grape Lady,

I’m allergic to blueberries. Like anaphylactic shock. I want to like wine, but I’ve heard people talk about how some wines taste like blueberries and I’m terrified to try since I won’t know which wines have blueberries, since the wines don’t have an ingredient label. Is there any way to know?

Ana Anaphylaxis

Dear Newbie, Congratulations on your budding collection. You are wise to think about these things now. The top five mistakes of storage are: 1. The Fridge-Top Fiasco Ah, the infamous built-in wine rack over the refrigerator – a design choice that has sommeliers everywhere shaking their heads. Who thought it was a brilliant idea to […]

Dear Rosie Misconceptions, For years, there has been a misconception that all rosés are sweet. This is an American misconception, perpetuated by the plethora of ‘white’ Zinfandel that flooded the American market in the 1970s. Thank you, Bob Sutter of Sutter Home. Sutter created a wine that appealed to the American palate. Remember, we, the […]